Drop Out (E4)
Drop Out 'is the 5th episode of ''Endurance: Tehachapi. Overview The first team has been eliminated, and the game is on! Now the six remaining teams must compete in a grueling Endurance Mission that could split alliances and give one team the power to change their fate. Summary JD and the six remaining teams gather in front of the cabins. The first Temple of Fate was tough and emotional for both the Gray team (who lost and was sent home) and their best friends, the Blue team. The Gray team left their Commitment piece to Blue, putting them into a tie for first place with the Green team; each team has two pieces. JD tells everyone that today’s Endurance mission will be a little different because although they’re still playing for an important piece, there will be no Samadhi. Instead, the winners will receive the ultimate power to divide the teams. Now with two pieces and back from Temple, the Blue Team appears to be an even larger threat. Shea claims that Green and Yellow have their backs; however, both Jonathan and Callie believe everyone will target on Blue, because they are officially the outsider team. The teams arrive at the challenge to see a giant floating platform with team-colored bars attached to it. JD tells them that today’s challenge, "Drop Out," will involve holding onto the bars, using only their hands and feet, for as long as they can. The player who lasts the longest wins the piece for their team, as well as the power to create two "super teams" for the next mission. The kids get into position. As soon as JD yells, "Go!" the game is on. The challenge is grueling and very quickly Michael drops out, followed closely by Daniela. Soon the others drop out: Kylie, Jeszie, Amelia, Shea, Callie and then Franke, leaving only Green team’s Isaac, Yellow’s Chris, Purple’s Jonathan and Red’s Erika. The remaining four kids dig in, switching their hands around as they struggle to stay on. Eventually Isaac drops out, leaving only three. Erika, Jonathan and Chris hang on for nearly 30 minutes in the hot sun. Erika starts talking to herself about surfing, her favorite pastime. Not only does this help to keep her mind off the pain, but it gets under Jonathan's and Chris’ skin, and they start focusing on her. Jonathan finally falls; the contest is now down to Chris and Erika. Chris tries to hold on but ultimately falls, leaving Erika the winner! JD awards her and Franke a new piece and tells them that they now have the power to choose the super teams. Back at the cabins, Chris is upset with himself for losing, especially to a girl. The other players console him, but he can’t shake the feeling of defeat. Meanwhile, Red team goes about the task of choosing which teams will join them on their super team. Franke and Erika think Yellow and Green would make great partners, but since Purple came in third in the challenge, they could also make a great super team. Who should they choose? Up on the island, JD asks the contestants why everyone sees Blue as such a threat since they haven’t actually won anything. Jeszie speaks up, saying that everyone is afraid Blue will try to seek revenge for being sent to Temple. Shea (Blue) tells JD that he has no such plans, and in fact that Yellow’s Chris and Green’s Isaac have his back. Isaac and Chris agree. It appears that the girls and the boys are divided even among their teams. Finally, JD asks Red for their choice of super teams. Red says that they’re choosing Yellow and Green, leaving Purple with the "weaker teams" Orange and Blue. Did Red make the right choice for their super team, or will the "weaker" super team take everyone by surprise? Game Play Standings Mission Each team has to hold onto a bar over the water with their hands and feet, and the last person standing earns the Discipline piece for the team, as well as the power to divide the camp. Production Notes Quotes *'Erika: '"I'm going surfing, because surfing is so fun." (to herself) **'Jonathan: '"You're not surfing; you're hanging on to a pole!" **'Erika: '"Shut up! I'm perfectly fine surfing over here!" *'Chris: '"I want a mission." **'Jonathan: '"You won the partner mission. I want a piece!" *'''Erika: "I like to eat fish, but I like surfing better." (to herself) *'Erika: '"I'm surfing in Hawaii, but I want to go surfing in Indonesia." (to herself) *'Erika: '"I have a red surfboard." **'Jeszie: '"What other colors do you have?" **'Erika: '"Green. But not Yellow or Purple, those are loser colors!" Trivia *Erika's mission win was one of the top ten moments from the first four seasons of Endurance. *This mission was #1 on the Top Ten Games list from the first four seasons. *First time a Red Team has won any mission since Squeeze Play in Endurance 1. *First and only time a Red Team won an Endurance mission Episode Links *Endurance: Tehachapi - Drop Out on YouTube (full episode) Category:Episodes Category:Season 4 episodes Category:Endurance Missions